Conventional plastic materials comprise synthetic polymers derived predominately from petroleum. The disadvantages of such petroleum-derived products are well known and include, for example, the rapid depletion of the world's petroleum reserves, the deleterious environmental consequences resulting from the poor biodegradability of petroleum-derived plastic materials, and the fluctuating cost of plastic production with the price of oil. Even conventional “low petroleum” plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (“PVC”), which comprises approximately 43% by weight petroleum feedstock products, suffer from these disadvantages.
Accordingly, it has long been desirable to decrease the petroleum content of plastic products. Unfortunately, satisfactory alternatives to petroleum-derived plastic materials have not heretofore been commercially viable. Therefore, there is a need in the art for plastic or plastic-like materials which have a reduced petroleum content as compared to conventional plastics.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide plastic-like materials having a reduced content of petroleum derivatives.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide plastic-like materials having chemical properties, such as fire retardancy and smoke suppression, superior to conventional plastics.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide materials having a reduced content of petroleum derivatives which are economically viable or superior alternatives to conventional plastics.